In a remarkable testament to the unifying power of medicine, two young patients from vastly different backgrounds—one from Nablus and the other from Bnei Brak—recover side by side at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel. The two children, both of whom required complex orthopedic procedures, share not only a hospital room but also a journey toward recovery that transcends politics, religion, and nationality.
L) Yossi, 15, from Bnei Brak, and R) Ahmed, 4, from Nablus, recover together at Rambam. Photography: Rambam HCC.
Ahmed*, a four-year-old from Nablus, sustained a severe leg injury after being run over by a Palestinian Authority fire truck, resulting in extensive damage to his foot. In Bnei Brak, Yossi*, a fifteen-year-old, suffered from a debilitating orthopedic condition that had left him unable to walk. Both children were treated by Professor Mark Eidelman, director of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit in the Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital at Rambam, where they underwent an external fixation procedure aimed at restoring their ability to walk.
Professor Eidelman, a world-renowned specialist in correcting limb deformities and treating severe orthopedic conditions, sees his work as a bridge between communities.
“To me, this image of two children from such different backgrounds, recovering together, represents the essence of Israeli medicine,” he explains. “When I enter the operating room, I leave my personal opinions at the door. I do not see nationality, religion, or politics—I see a child in need of care. And when I witness a child who arrived in a dire condition take their first steps again, that is my true reward.”
Despite ongoing regional tensions, Israel’s healthcare system continues to provide life-saving treatment to patients from all backgrounds. Rambam, the largest hospital and only referral center in Northern Israel, has long served as a beacon of coexistence, offering advanced medical care to Israelis, Palestinians, and patients from neighboring countries alike.
This story is a powerful reminder that in hospitals across Israel, medicine is not about borders—it is about humanity. At a time when divisions are dominating the news cycle, the shared recovery of these two children serves as a testament to the profound and unshakable principle that every life deserves care.
*Names changed to protect the patients’ privacy
Based on a Hebrew article from Haifa Krayot News.
